Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has renewed his call for a fair trial, saying the right to a fair hearing is a fundamental human right and not a privilege.

El-Rufai made the appeal in a statement posted on his official X account on Friday, marking 256 days in detention.

He has been in custody since February 16, 2026, following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure as governor.

The allegations followed a Kaduna State House of Assembly report which raised concerns over the management of between 423 and 432 billion naira during his eight years in office.

He was later transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission as investigations continued.

El-Rufai is also facing a separate case filed by the Department of State Services over alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

He has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Although courts have granted bail in some of the cases, the conditions attached have reportedly prevented his release.

He was briefly released in March on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s burial before returning to detention.